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| Kensington Palace's Advent calendar, based on Queen Victoria's diaries |
Well, the Christmas forecast is frightful
But London will be delightful
As I don't need no train
Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain...
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| Fortnum & Mason Christmas windows |
This year I'm spending Christmas in London, which is just wonderful. There's been lots of rain here in the UK, causing a wee bit of chaos, but I don't have to fret about any travel plans or crowds because I'm staying put. Everything is wrapped up (literally and metaphorically) so I can just spend the next few days relaxing, go to my regular church for the Christmas services, cook up a simple Christmas lunch on Tuesday, and enjoy the peacefulness that descends on the capital over the break, perhaps partaking in a cycle around its empty streets on Boxing Day, weather permitting.
I got the final grocery shop out of the way yesterday so today I enjoyed a visit to Kensington Palace to see their Advent calendar installation, on the last day before they close for Christmas. Against my expectations, I have come to adore Kensington Palace, after discovering it when they had the Enchanted Palace installation during recent refurbishment works. It recently reopened in all its glory and has maintained the fairytale element. A full post to come on that...
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| More installments in the Kensington Palace Advent calendar |
When I was kicked out at 5pm, I went for a walk and ended up passing Fortnum & Mason, so naturally stopped to look at their Christmas display. Sadly, it was slightly disappointing when compared against last year's offering. The main windows, fronting Piccadilly, recount the tale of Dick Whittington, but the figures looked a bit cheap and kitsch to me - like a bad local history museum. The backdrops in the Duke Street windows seemed similarly tacky and obvious. While some of the displays of food and beverages was quite beautiful and artfull, I definitely preferred last year's displays, which were more like the window display version of an editorial fashion shoot, in which the products almost seemed an incidental element in bewitching and abstract scenes.
Still, even for someone who isn't generally seduced by gratuitious displays of food, there were definitely some appealling moments:
Anyway, I hope that you, my lovely readers, all have a wonderful Christmas, however and wherever you choose to celebrate. And I hope that those people who are travelling to be with loved ones have safe and undisrupted journeys, come rain, snow or shine.
Oh shame; I didn't make it to Fortnum's this year, so sent Patrick instead to pick up my dad's annual marmalade stash!
ReplyDeleteWell done for being so organised. I'm staying put too (looking forward to a stroll around Crystal Palace tomorrow) but I have done none of my food shopping and am really dreading it!! P wants pulled pork insteda of turkey, so I've now got to track down the perfect pork joint... Aargh!!
Have a wonderful Christmas xxx
Enjoy your stroll around Crystal Palace tomorrow. Last time I stayed in London for Christmas, I went for a stroll around Hampstead Heath - strolling in London's green spaces is the perfect post-Christmas-lunch activity, isn't it?
DeleteI think if Patrick wants pulled pork, he should go hunting for the perfect pork joint - surely it's the man's responsibility to do the hunting for meat?!
Hope you have a great Christmas too x
Ooohhh, that is a shop that I've always dreamed about visiting in person. Now that I've seen it during the holiday season, I long to visit even more (or if that's not possible, perhaps convince them to hop the pond and set up shop in Canada - wishful thinking, I know ;D).
ReplyDeleteMay your holiday season sparkle with joy and merriment, dear gal!
♥ Jessica
Oh, you would love it, if you ever make it over to London. I'm not really a foodie (except when it comes to artisan cheese...), and even I find it all wonderfully exciting - it's just so beautifully put together.
DeleteSomething I regret is never experiencing the calm that Christmas day brings to London. I hope you have a wonderful day and stay dry! Christmas love to you. xx
ReplyDeleteP.S I am totally with you on The F&M windows this year, so disappointing. :-( xx
I need to check out your Beyond Retro Christmas windows! I've not been near any of the shops for a while... I'm sure the beat the F&M ones! x
DeleteMmmmh! That last picture looks quite yummy! I would like to try all the wonderful sweets. Wish you a happy new year 2013.
ReplyDeleteI was very tempted by all their sweets and was considering ducking in to buy some... but unfortunately (or perhaps luckily?) they were closed when I passed by!
DeleteWhat a lovely, honest post. Thank you! I recall your last post of F & M was very dramatic. These windows aren't so, but still appealing. I'm really curious about Kensington Palace's Advent Calendar. I made Pork Pie with Hot Water Crust as part of our Christmas fare. :) It worked! I was surprised to find that I thought it perhaps tasted better on Boxing Day.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I didn't take many pictures of the Advent Calendar, and those that I did take didn't turn out great because of the lighting. But they were fun. I missed the unveiling of the one that opened the day I was there, which is a shame... Judging by Kensington Palace's general way of doing things, there may well have been some pomp and exhibition to go along with it! And well done with your pork pie - I made Yorkshire puddings for the first time ever, but they all got gobbled up on the day!
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